Farm4Profit Podcast

F4F - Iowa Corn Champions

Episode Summary

We’re joined by three remarkable leaders in Iowa agriculture: Stan Nelson, Iowa Corn Promotion Board President; Stu Swanson, First Vice President of the Iowa Corn Growers Association; and Craig Floss, CEO of Iowa Corn. We'll discuss their extensive farming backgrounds, organizational involvements, leadership achievements, and the history of Iowa Corn. Plus, learn about the exciting connection between Iowa Corn and the NASCAR Speedway.

Episode Notes

Stan Nelson
Iowa Corn Promotion Board President
Southeast Iowa Native - Farming for 42 years in Des Moines County
Raises corn, soybeans for seed and hay
Works on the farm with daughter Valerie, her husband Jared, daughter Emily, & husband Caleb
Organization Involvements
National Corn Growers Association and U.S. Grains Council Action Teams
Iowa Soybean Association
Director of District 9 for 5 years
Iowa Cattlemen's Association
Iowa Farm Bureau
School Board member at the Danville Community School District for 9 years
Graduated from ISU in 1980 with bachelors in farm operations
Stu Swanson
Iowa Corn Growers Association First Vice President
Serves on the animal agriculture & environment committee
Raises corn, soybeans, and customer feeding wean to finish hogs
Leadership:
North Central Coop Board of Directors
County FSA Committee
Wright County Fair Swine Committee
Iowa Soybean Association
Iowa Pork Producers Association
After college
Worked at Iowa Pork Producers Association - director of producer education
Awards:
Iowa Pork Producers Association as Master Pork Producer in 2017
Coalition to Support Iowa’s Farmers Good Farm Neighbor Award in 2019
IDALS Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award in 2020
Passionate about accelerating water quality efforts in Iowa
Recently traveled to Washington D.C. for leadership training and visit with elected officials
Craig Floss
Iowa Corn CEO
CEO since 1997
At Iowa corn talk a lot about legacy with farmers
Recently awarded the ISU Knoll Corporation Foundation Award
History of ICGA
Founded in 1967 by Walter Goeppinger of Boone, IA
Voice of Iowa corn farmers
12-member board - peer-elected farmers and 2 industry liaisons
U.S. Grain Council
27 years of service
Background
Corn, soybean, and livestock farmer
Assisted with a feeder pig operation as a teenager
Attended ISU
Then worked in Chicago for Spraying Systems Co.
Responsible for all sales outside of the U.S.

HISTORY OF IOWA CORN & THE SPEEDWAY (WHY NASCAR)

25,000+ seats sold out for the race and 1000 farmers and their families present to watch their product in action on the fastest short-track in the nation surrounded by corn fields.

A large, national audience excited about the power and performance of ethanol with 4.1 million unique viewers.

Driving online traffic and increasing brand exposure with 7.6 million digital page views.

If you divide Iowa’s 2023 corn crop by the race’s 350 laps, each time around the track would equate to 7 million bushels. Corn is a major economic engine for the state.